For
immediate release: February 9, 2012
FWC moves forward on plan to manage, conserve Florida black bears
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
is moving ahead on its plan to manage and conserve Florida
black bears so they are never again at risk of extinction. With the bear
population rebounding from about 300 to 3,000 over the past 40 years, the FWC
recognizes Florida’s conservation
success with bears and recommends the state’s largest land mammal be removed
from the threatened species list.
The Commissioners today (Feb. 9) discussed the draft Florida
Black Bear Management Plan, a proposed black bear conservation rule, and heard
public comments and suggestions. Final action on the draft bear management plan
and rule was not taken today. The Commissioners are scheduled to take up a
revision of the draft plan and the rule during their June meeting.
Pointing out a paragraph in the draft bear plan tracking the
fall and rise of Florida’s bear population, Commissioner Brian Yablonski said,
“We had 750,000 people in Florida in 1914 and we had roughly 3,000 bears, and
here we are at the last data point in 2002 and we’ve got 17 million people in
2002 and about 3,000 bears. That’s an amazing success story. I think this is a
very positive day.”
Commissioner Richard Corbett said, “The major focus is how we
manage and protect with a major population increase of bears and a major
population increase of humans.”
The
draft bear management plan, released on Nov. 10, 2011, was followed by a two-month period of
public input, which included public workshops in Bristol,
Naples, DeLand and Gainesville.
Floridians offered feedback at the workshops, online where the draft plan was
posted at MyFWC.com/Bear,
and by mailing written comments. About 2,500 comments were received from
private citizens and stakeholder groups on the draft plan. Additionally, people
had the opportunity to speak at today’s meeting.
The public commented on issues such as updating bear
population estimates, reducing human-bear conflicts and continuing the review
of land-use changes impacting bear habitat.
Members
of the public also expressed opinions on whether to allow bear hunting in Florida
and whether taking bears off the state’s threatened species list would impact
bear conservation.
FWC
staff is recommending following many of the public’s suggestions to change,
clarify and improve the overall plan.
Commissioners also gave tentative approval to a proposed FWC
rule that would make it unlawful to injure or kill bears, continuing
protections similar to the ones granted to bears as a state threatened species.
The rule additionally commits the FWC to
working with landowners and regulating agencies to guide future land use to be
compatible with objectives of the bear plan.
The draft plan proposes:
§ Seven bear management units (BMUs) to
reflect areas where Florida’s
black bear populations are concentrated. The units would offer the opportunity
for local input on managing bear populations and habitat. For example, the Central
BMU, based in Ocala National
Forest, has the largest estimated population of
about 1,000 bears; the East Panhandle BMU encompasses Apalachicola
National Forest, with roughly 600
bears; and the South Central BMU in Glades and Highlands
counties has about 175 bears.
§ Creation of “Bear Smart Communities” in
areas of high bear activity. A “Bear Smart Community” would involve its
residents, businesses, public agencies and schools in educating people about
how to live in bear country and respond appropriately to human-bear conflicts.
For example, the U.S. Air Force’s Hurlburt Field in Okaloosa
County switched to bear-proof
garbage cans and dumpsters, instituted an active education program and trained
personnel in appropriate responses to human-bear conflicts. After two years of
these efforts, Hurlburt experienced a 70-percent reduction in human-bear
conflicts.
The Florida
black bear is among the 62 wildlife species that soon will join the list of
species, like the bald eagle, already under an FWC
management plan. Florida’s new
threatened species conservation model requires that management plans be created
for all species that have been state-listed and that plans be updated at
specified intervals.
Those management plans give citizens an active role in Florida’s
efforts to conserve its diverse wildlife for future generations.
For more information about bears, go to MyFWC.com/Bear.
http://www.oysterradio.com e-mail manager@oysterradio.com with comments
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